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LESSON 12 December 14-20
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"In him was life; and the life was
the light of men" (John 1:4).
God has called Seventh-day
Adventists to share an experience of
His love and wisdom, to share their
remarkable insights into the history
of the great controversy and their
knowledge of God's character with
the rest of the world.
Imagine for a moment that you
have been invited to a non-Adventist
gathering. In a conversation with the
person sitting next to you, the
subject turns to religion. Suppose he
asks you something like this: "What
do you Seventh-day Adventists mean
when you call yourselves the true
church, or the light of the world for
the last days? Do you mean to say that
you are better than the rest of the
Christian world?" How would you
answer?
The Christlike answer would have
two elements in it: (a) You would
have to confirm that your church
does have unique insights to share
with the world, and (b) that you, far
from being elevated or decorated by
God, are a servant—that you, as with
every member of the human family,
stand in need of the grace and
forgiveness of God.
Paul's ministry was a superb
example of balancing a sense of
humility with the knowledge that
God had called him to share special
truths. Read the first chapter of
1 Timothy for instance. Note the
balance between Paul's humility and
his confidence in the message that
God had committed him to preach.
Of him Ellen White says: "Paul's life
was an exemplification of the truths
he taught, and herein lay his power.
His heart was filled with a deep,
abiding sense of his responsibility,
and he labored in close communion
with Him who is the fountain of
justice, mercy, and truth. He clung to
the cross of Christ as his only
guarantee of success. The love of the
Saviour was the undying motive that
upheld him in his conflicts with self
and in his struggles against evil as in
the service of Christ he pressed
forward against the unfriendliness of
the world and the opposition of his
enemies."—The
Acts of the
Apostles,
p. 507.
In terms of their responsibility to
be the light of the world, church
members have three alternatives.
They may, as their first-century
spiritual ancestors did, become
religiously exclusive, arrogant, and
selfish. They may hoard their
blessings' under the guise of
maintaining internal purity.
Second, some church members
may conclude that the cost of
discipleship is too high. Evangelism
becomes a means of getting close to
the world they have come to adore.
As the argument runs, they must
become very knowledgeable in the
ways of the world in order that they
might reach nonbelievers.
Happily, there is a third alternative
for those who wish to take seriously
the commission to be the light of the
world. It is a Christlike missionary
motive which balances humility and
a sense of service with gleaming
confidence in the values of the
kingdom of heaven. This involves a
compulsion to share.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Problem of Darkness
(John 3:19)
2.
The Symbol of Light
(2 Cor. 4:6)
3.
Your Good Works
(Matt. 5:16)
4.
Glorify Your Father
(John 17:4)
5.
Light Involves Confidence
(Matt. 5:15)
6.
A Quality of People
(Hosea 6:6)